One Of Their Own
by Jennifer Hart
Summary: Crossover NCIS and Medical Investigation Tragic Circumstances bring teams from NIH and NCIS together. NCIS Character death.
1. Looming

**Title: One Of Their Own**

**Classification: Crossover (NCIS/Medical Investigation), Tragedy**

**Disclaimers: I don't own NCIS or Medical Investigation or any of their characters.**

**Spoilers: Missing and SWAK**

**Warnings: Contains NCIS character death.**

**Summary: A dangerous threat brings teams from NIH and NCIS together.**

**A/N: This is going to be slightly rewritten. The fact is that after Kate got killed, I felt weird about this story because of the character death I'd written in, especially since I wanted to leave the option open for a sequel (if I ever get there). So for my own peace of mind, I've chosen to put Ziva in instead of Kate, so it doesn't jar as much. Therefore Director Shepherd is in instead of Morrow as well.**

0

"Come on, you stupid pig," Abby muttered as she pushed the thermostat from 53 degrees to 50. She wiped her soaked forehead with the sleeve of her lab coat and sighed. "This is insane."

"You got that right," Gibbs commented from behind her. She turned and grinned.

"Sorry, Gibbs, the heating's gone hinky."

"The heating's gone, period," Gibbs retorted.

"Gibbs, it's hotter than a crematorium in here," Abby said, confused. "I can't get it to cool down."

Gibbs stepped forward and put a gentle hand on her forehead. "No, you can't get _you_ to cool down," he replied, his voice full of concern. He put his other arm around her waist. "Let's get you sitting down."

Abby rested her head on Gibbs' shoulder as he guided her over to a chair and helped her sit down. "I'll call Ducky."

Gibbs walked quickly over to the phone and punched in the speed dial for Autopsy, then looked over at Abby and gasped. The lab tech was slumping to the side. "Abby?" He rushed back over in time to catch her and keep her from hitting her head on the floor. "Abby!"

"Hello?" Ducky's voice came through the speaker phone. "Abby?"

"Ducky, it's Gibbs!" the agent yelled. "I need you in Forensics, now!" Gibbs looked back down at the young lab tech in his arms. "Abby's collapsed."

"I'm on my way."

Gibbs looked again at Abby, who lay motionless in his arms. "Hang on, Abbs," he said softly. He kept his eyes trained on hers as with one hand he checked for a pulse. It was there, but weak. Gibbs sighed. "Come on, kiddo, don't do this."

Ducky rushed in. "Good land it's cold in here!" he exclaimed as he knelt down next to Gibbs. "What happened?"

"She said she was feeling hot and then when I went to dial you she collapsed."

"I'll say she's hot," Ducky murmured, pulling the thermometer out of Abby's mouth.

"Dr. Mallard!" Gibbs and Ducky jumped as Jimmy Palmer came running in.

"They need you up in the director's office, Doctor," Jimmy said. "It's an emergency."

Ducky didn't look up. "I have an emergency right here."

"Director Shepherd collapsed, Doctor." Gibbs and Ducky looked up at Jimmy, startled. "Her secretary said she was coughing and had a fever."

Ducky looked down at the unconscious lab tech. "She must have the same thing as Abby."

"Abby!" Jimmy swallowed, seeing her in Gibbs' arms for the first time. Gently he reached down and touched her forehead. "She's burning up."

"Yes, she is," Ducky said absently.

"Duck, go check on the Director," Gibbs said quietly. "I'll stay with Abby."

Ducky stood up and started for the door. "Doctor!" Jimmy called after him. "There was an agent down in Autopsy when I got the call. Came down for an Autopsy result."

"Tell him to wait," Ducky retorted, not stopping.

"He was coughing." The older man stopped dead in his tracks. "When I asked him about it, he said the agent next to him was doing the same thing."

"Four people who work for a government organization – not together – and they all come down with the same symptoms at the same time?" Gibbs' voice was quiet. "This doesn't sound natural, Duck."

"No, it doesn't." Ducky turned to Jimmy. "Your cousin works at NIH, right?" Jimmy nodded. "Call her."

ooooooooooooooo

"Stephen!" Dr. Stephen Connor turned as Eva Rossi came running up behind him in one of the hallways at the NIH headquarters.

"My cousin just called. He said they've got some type of outbreak at NCIS headquarters and they're afraid it's a bio attack."

"What kind of outbreak?"

"Fever and coughing. Four people have it so far, two are unconscious, and they all work in three different departments."

"Terrific," Stephen sighed.

"They haven't called the paramedics yet. If it's a bio agent they don't want it getting out. They want advice on what they should do."

"Tell your cousin to get the victims set up in a treatment area. Do they have a lab?"

"It's used for Forensics, but it's fully equipped."

Stephen nodded. "Nobody leaves or enters NCIS except us."

ooooooooooooooo

For the fifth time that morning, Tony pulled back from his desk and bent over coughing. Ziva looked at him in concern.

"I thought you were over that bout of pneumonia."

"So did I," Tony answered when he had enough breath to speak. "Do you have any Advil? My head is killing me."

"From the way you're coughing, no wonder," Ziva answered. She grabbed the bottle from her desk and walked over. "Here." Tony reached out his hand, then drew back and doubled over, coughing uncontrollably.

"Tony, are you okay?" Her partner was coughing too hard to answer, but Ziva noticed a streak of red crossing one of his hands. She gasped. "Tony, we need to get you to a hospital!"

Just then an alarm sounded loudly. Ziva looked up. "What the..."

Tony clapped a hand to his ear, the blaring noise adding to the stabbing pain encompassing his forehead. Ziva hugged him tightly, biting her lip.


	2. Labor

ooooooooooooooo

Gibbs was on hand to meet the 4 members of the NIH when they arrived; encased in blue HAZ-MAT suits.

"Special Agent Jethro Gibbs."

"Dr. Stephen Connor," a blond-haired man replied, offering a quick smile. "This is Dr. Natalie Durant, Dr. Miles McCabe, and our media liaison, Eva Rossi."

"If word of this gets out, I'll take care of talking to the press," the dark-haired woman explained. "In the meantime, I'd appreciate any files you can provide me on the victims."

Gibbs nodded. "I'll get you clearance." He turned to Stephen. "We've got the four ill personnel on stretchers in Autopsy. Dr. Mallard and his assistant, Jimmy Palmer, are with them."

"Who are the ill personnel?" Natalie asked.

"Director Jenny Shepherd, lab tech Abby Sciuto, and Special Agents David Phelps and Robyn Miller."

Just then Gibbs' cell phone rang. Quickly he flipped it open. "Gibbs."

"Gibbs, it's Ziva. I'm taking Tony to the hospital. He's started coughing up blood."

"Does he have a fever?"

"Yeah, he's flaming up."

Gibbs didn't even notice the slip. "Where are you?"

"Bullpen. We're getting ready to leave."

"Both of you stay there – I'm on my way." Gibbs shut the phone with a hard snap. "Looks like another one."

"Where?" Stephen asked.

"3rd floor."

"Nat – you and Miles get down to Autopsy and start testing. Eva, get a hold of a gurney and meet us on the 3rd floor." Stephen looked at Gibbs. "Let's go."

ooooooooooooooo

"How is he?"

Ziva looked in surprise at the figure in a blue HAZ-MAT suit standing next to Gibbs as she answered. "He's finally quit coughing."

One look at Tony showed why that was the only positive thing that could be said. The agent lay on his back next to his desk, his head pillowed on his jacket. His face was flushed and damp with perspiration. Tony's eyes were closed, but they fluttered open at the sound of Ziva's voice. "Hey, Boss."

Gibbs tried not to show the worry he was feeling as he gestured to the doctor with him. "Tony, Ziva, this is Dr. Connor from the NIH. Dr. Connor – Officer Ziva David and Special Agent Tony DiNozzo."

Stephen knelt down next to Tony and surreptitiously checked his pulse. Pulling out a stethoscope, he said, "What happened?"

Ziva ran a hand through her hair. "He had a coughing fit that wouldn't stop and then blood started coming up," she answered. "He'd just gotten over a bout with pneumonia."

Stephen nodded and looked at Tony in concern. "How are you feeling right now?" he asked gently.

"My head hurts," Tony said weakly. "So do my wrists and elbows."

"We've got a few other people set up downstairs with the same symptoms," Stephen replied. "As soon as Eva brings a gurney up we'll take you down there to join them."

"What's going on?" Ziva asked quietly.

"Some sort of outbreak," Gibbs answered, keeping his voice low. "Abby and the Director have it too."

Ziva looked stricken. "Terrorists?" she asked.

Before Gibbs or Stephen could reply, Eva entered, wheeling a gurney. Gibbs and Stephen helped Tony onto it, then started for the elevator.

ooooooooooooooo

"Everyone, may I please have your attention." Eva stood in front of the NCIS staff who for space reasons were congregated in the Receiving garage.

"My name is Eva Rossi and I work as a media liaison for the National Institute of Health. As most of you know, the building has been placed under quarantine and I just wanted to update you on where we stand right now.

"First of all, I want to stress that it's important that nobody panics. This infection is clearly only affecting some people and there is no reason to automatically assume you will become one of them. If you do experience any of the symptoms – fever, coughing, sore joints, or headaches, please come down to Autopsy and see Dr. Durant, Dr. Connor, or Dr. McCabe. But please, only come if you're experiencing symptoms. Otherwise continue your work the way you normally would until you hear otherwise."

"What about those of us on cases?" an agent asked. Gibbs stepped forward.

"If you have to go out of the office to speak with someone, you can contact one of the NCIS agents at the Norfolk office or Lt. Commander Meg Austin from JAG, and they will make arrangements to get information for you. Autopsies and lab tests are on hold for the time being and any new cases that occur during the quarantine will be handled by Army CID. Otherwise it's business as usual."

The sound of coughing could be heard from the back of the room. Gibbs exchanged looks with Eva as they hurried forward.

Michael Roethlisberger – a computer technician – had doubled over in his seat, coughing. Gibbs put a hand on the young man's forehead, then grimaced. "He's burning up."

"Let's get him downstairs," Eva responded.

"Clear a path, people!" Ziva called as Eva and Gibbs each took an arm and assisted the young man towards the elevator.

Miles McCabe met them at the door to Autopsy. "What's his name?" he asked.

"Michael Roethlisberger – computer tech," Gibbs answered.

"This way." They followed him over to a gurney standing in one corner. After they'd helped him lie down, Gibbs glanced around Autopsy. The other five were all lying on gurneys in different parts of the room. Miles followed his gaze.

"That's our last gurney, but we've got all of the Autopsy tables ready and we can have up to four of the body cooler drawers open and still have room to work."

Gibbs nodded. Stephen was leaning over Tony, who was caught in another coughing spasm. Jimmy had brought a cold cloth over to Director Shepherd and was gently placing it on her forehead. Her eyes were closed and she gave no sign she even felt the ministrations. Gibbs stepped forward and squeezed her hand, whispering, "Hang on, Jen," before continuing to look around the room. The blond-haired woman and Ducky were nowhere to be seen.

"Where's Dr. Mallard?"

"He took Dr. Durant up to the Forensics lab to start the blood tests," Miles answered. He grabbed a tourniquet and strapped it around the computer tech's arm. Gibbs approached Abby's gurney and sat down on the floor next to it, taking her hand.

"Hey, Abbs," he whispered. "I had a chance to call McGee's mom and explained you probably wouldn't make it by the hospital today. She said that McGee's still doing about the same, but that he'd be here if he could, even if it meant ignoring the doctors.

"Ducky's up in your lab, helping with the blood tests. He's working with a doctor from NIH, but don't worry. He's guarding your equipment just like you would." Gibbs swallowed hard. "We're going to beat this thing, Abbs. I promise."

Gibbs sensed someone standing behind him and he turned to see Natalie, who had come down for the latest victim's blood sample. "I caught part of what you said," Natalie said softly. "It sounds like the two of you are pretty close."

"She's like my adopted daughter," Gibbs admitted, stepping aside to let Stephen check on Abby. Natalie motioned to the hall and he followed.

"How long have you known her?" she asked when they were out in the corridor.

"Eight years, since she first started at NCIS," Gibbs answered.

"Who's McGee?" Natalie saw the streak of pain across Gibbs' face and wished she hadn't asked. "I'm sorry, it's none of my—"

"No, no, it's all right," Gibbs said quickly. "McGee was—is—an agent on my team. He and Abby have been seeing each other for almost a year. He...he was injured in an explosion on our last assignment. Left in a coma." The agent sighed. "The doctors aren't sure when or if he'll be regaining consciousness."

"I'm sorry," Natalie said softly.

"Dr. Durant, is there anything I can do – besides just sitting on my six?" Gibbs asked.

"You can give me some background on the victims, help narrow down what they have in common," she offered. He nodded. "Let's start with the member of your team. How closely does Agent DiNozzo work with the others?"

"Well, he has a lot of contact with Abby – all the agents do. She's our only lab tech."

"That accounts for three of the other victims if she's the point of contact. What about the Director and the computer technician?"

Gibbs shook his head. "The Director never has reason to enter Forensics. Normally the computer tech wouldn't either, but with McGee out, he might."

"What about the three agents?" Have they worked together recently?"

"Agent Miller is a recent transfer from a carrier and only started at our cold case unit last week, so my team hasn't had a chance to work with her yet. Agent Phelps worked with us a few weeks ago."

"All of your team?"

Gibbs nodded. "He was working a case that had a tie to one of ours, so our teams did a joint investigation."

"We're going to need the names of their team members; see if there's a common link that they know of."

"Agent Phelps works with Special Agent Sean Lipinski and Special Agent Lindsey Kwan. Special Agent Miller was assigned to Special Agent Matthew Balboa and Special Agent Pam Retton."

Just then, Natalie's phone rang. Quickly, she answered it. "Durant." She listened, then groaned. "I'm on my way." She looked up at Gibbs. "Three move victims: Special Agents Neal Strug, Kelli Borden, and Anna Moceanu."

ooooooooooooooo

"What do you think, Stephen?" Natalie stood with Stephen and Gibbs in the hall outside Autopsy, still able to see the now nine victims through the window.

"Well, they're not as sick as the others – yet." Stephen's answer was terse. "Agents Borden and Strug both came down on their own power and Agent Moceanu just needed assistance walking because of the dizziness." He looked at Gibbs. "They don't work together?

Gibbs nodded. "Agent Borden and Agent Strug are on the same team, but Agent Moceanu is in a completely different department."

Stephen slammed his fist into his palm. "Blast it."

"How are the others doing?" Gibbs said quietly.

"Agent DiNozzo lost consciousness about a half hour ago." Natalie put an understanding hand on Gibbs' arm. "Nat, do we have any idea what we're up against yet?"

She shook her head. "No." Before she could respond the elevator door opened and all three turned. A young woman stepped out, coughing. Quickly Stephen stepped to her side. "I'm Dr. Connor. Just relax, you're going to be fine." He started guiding her into Autopsy.

"Her name's Susanna Eldredge – another computer tech," Gibbs advised.

"Thanks. Listen, Nat said you wanted to help. That offer still open?"

Gibbs nodded. "Absolutely."

"Find Eva and start taking swabs of everything at Agent Borden and Agent Strug's desks. They're our first two victims with an obvious connection – they're our best shot at finding this thing."

"Got it."

ooooooooooooooo

"Here's everything we found on Agent Borden and Agent Strug's workstations." Gibbs placed a crate of evidence bags on the counter in the inner Forensics lab. "Eva and I are going to start the rest of the agents' desks now."

Ducky smiled and started setting the bags next to Petri dishes. "You know, this reminds me of volunteering with the food bank," he commented.

Natalie looked up from the microscope. "What?"

"We had to bring bags of oranges and put them in hampers based on how many people were in a given family" Ducky said with a smile. "Grouping these samples are really quite similar..."

Natalie shot Gibbs a quick look of 'Is he for real?' to which Gibbs only smiled. The doctor just shook her head and turned back to the microscope, then gasped. "I think I've got something."

Instantly Gibbs was at her side. "What is it?"

"Tularemia. It acts like pneumonia, but isn't contagious, which means we can get these people to the hospital without it spreading. Ducky go get Eva, ask her to meet us down here."

"On it."

Natalie punched in a speed dial on the phone and was rewarded with Jimmy's nervous "Autopsy."

"This is Dr. Durant. Is Dr. Connor there?"

"Uh, yeah, he is."

When the young assistant offered no further information, Natalie sighed. "Can I speak with him?"

"Uh, he's just with one of the patients..."

Gibbs saw Natalie roll her eyes and motioned for the phone. When she handed it to him, Gibbs said tersely, "Jimmy – put Dr. Connor on the phone."

"Uh – yes, sir."

Gibbs handed it back to Natalie, who fought back a laugh. "Thanks," she mouthed.

"Dr. Connor."

"Stephen, it's Nat. We're dealing with tularemia – probably inhalational. I've got Eva on her way down now."

"Get her to start an evac – I want all NCIS personnel at Bethesda whether they're sick yet or not," Stephen ordered. "Then you and I are going to start finding the source of this thing."

"On it."

"Hey, what's up?" Eva asked as she walked in.

"Tularemia. Let's get this place evacuated and everyone over at Bethesda to get checked out."

Eva grinned. "I'm on it."

"Oh, and about that cousin of yours?"

"Yeah, he's been a few hobbits short of a Fellowship all his life."

Gibbs and Natalie laughed as they followed her out.


	3. Loss

ooooooooooooo

"Does she always have this much energy?" Gibbs asked. It was five minutes later and Eva was evacuating her second floor of agents, having moved through the first like a sheltie on a timed obstacle course.

"Pretty much." Natalie had to yell to be heard over the sound of the alarm, which was blaring again at full sound. "You should see her with the press."

"So what's the prognosis for those infected with this?" Gibbs asked, all humor gone from his voice. "Will they recover?"

"Tularemia isn't normally fatal, so most of them should be fine," Natalie answered. She bit her lip before continuing. "But Agent DiNozzo's respiratory system has been compromised by his bout of pneumonia." Gibbs stared at her, realization making him numb.

"Gibbs!" Ziva came running over to them before he could say anything.  
What's with the evacuation? Have they found out what caused this?"

"Tularemia – it looks like we were breathing it and didn't know it," Gibbs managed to answer. "They want us all over at Bethesda to get checked out and then they're going to start looking for where it's coming from."

"Gibbs, after 9-11 all Mossad Agents were briefed on the most common bioterrorism agents and how to respond if we encountered a situation where they were used." Ziva hesitated before adding quietly, "Tularemia was one of them."

"How to terrorists get into a secure building like this?" Natalie asked. Before Gibbs could respond, Ziva doubled over, coughing furiously. Quickly Gibbs put a hand on her forehead.

"I've got it too, don't I?" Ziva said when she could speak. Gibbs nodded, and Ziva muttered something in Hebrew.

"What was that?" Natalie asked.

Gibbs shook his head. "Don't ask."

ooooooooooooo

"I'll test your blood to make sure, but you probably would be sick by now if you were going to get this." Natalie smiled reassuringly at the agent in front of her. The woman nodded, but didn't look convinced as she got up and headed back into the waiting area.

Natalie motioned to the next agent in line and Gibbs stepped forward, offering a slight hint of a grin which she returned." "How are you doing?"

"Fine, which I don't understand," Gibbs answered, holding out his left arm. He'd taken his jacket off while he and Eva were swabbing for samples and his royal blue golf shirt provided one of the few spots of color on the Bethesda Intensive Care Unit. "Not that I'm complaining, but there's something weird when I'm not sick and two of the people I work closely with are."

"When we get these blood samples drawn we're going to go back to NCIS headquarters and find the cause of this thing," Natalie replied.

"I'd like to go with you."

"We'll need to wait until your blood work comes back first."

Before Gibbs could respond, an obnoxious solid beep sounded from one of the ICU cubicles. Instantly Miles, Stephen, and Natalie ran towards it, several nurses hot on their heels.

"Code Blue!" Stephen yelled. Gibbs scrambled out of the way as a crash cart nearly ran him over and quickly looked through the window in an effort to see the patient's face, but medical personnel blocked his view.

"200 joules," Stephen ordered. "Clear!" Gibbs watched as the patient's feet jerked, once."

"250! Clear!" Again he saw the feet move.

"300. Clear!" Beads of perspiration stood out on Stephen's forehead. "You're not dying on me, Agent DiNozzo!"

Gibbs couldn't breathe. _No_.

"350! Clear!"

_Don't do this_.

"Again! Clear!"

Silence. Stephen looking up at the clock. Natalie coming towards him. Slamming his fist against the wall.


	4. Loyalty

**For those who were wondering, I only left Powell out for practicality reasons; too many main characters to keep up with. Consider him home with his wife on a rare vacation.**

oooooooooooo

"I thought I'd find you here."

Gibbs didn't turn from where he stood in another part of the Intensive Care Unit, looking down at an unconscious McGee. "A few years Tony was kidnapped and left to die in a sewer by a woman who'd killed four Marines over an eight-year period," he said quietly. "He managed to escape as well as rescue the Marine who'd been left with him. Then a year later, he was infected with pneumonic plague by a deranged suspect. Nobody thought he'd pull through that, but he did."

Gibbs looked at Natalie for the first time. "Only to die of a glorified flu."

"It doesn't make much sense, does it?"

"Dr. Durant – this disease is the second time terrorists have taken down members of my team on our own turf. Now I don't care what kind of health wavers you have to sign, I want in on taking this thing down."

Natalie studied him for a long minute. "Let me guess, former SEAL?"

"Marine." Gibbs smiled slightly. "What gave me away?"

Natalie looked him in the eye. "You're a team player," she said simply. "Come on. Let's find you a HAZ-MAT suit."

oooooooooooooo

A short time later, Gibbs stood with Natalie and Stephen in the center of one of the bullpens. Stephen stood slightly apart from the other two, near the plasma screen showing the NCIS floor plan, but he wasn't looking at it. Instead he faced the room, visualizing a typical work day.

"It's not in the main ventilation system, or everyone would be sick," Stephen said quietly. "We're looking at something that some employees used, but others didn't." Stephen turned around slowly, taking in everything. "The water fountains. No, too difficult." He looked up at the floor plan. "The evidence garage. If only some of the agents handled the evidence – but that doesn't explain how the director was infected."

Stephen turned to Gibbs. "Typically with tularemia it takes between three and five days after exposure for a person to start showing symptoms. During the last five days, what have you done differently than Special Agents David and DiNozzo?

Gibbs' voice was quiet. "Six days ago, Special Agent McGee and I had to fly out to a carrier to conduct an interrogation. We were out there for four days."

"Agent McGee?" Stephen questioned.

'He's been unconscious for the last few days as a result of an explosion," Natalie interjected quickly.

"I'm still going to want to run a blood test on him to be on the safe side – like we're doing with the other agents who weren't in the office today, but I think we could be onto something," Stephen said. "What happened after you returned to DC?"

"We weren't able to come back until the day before yesterday – when Agent McGee had stabilized enough for travel," Gibbs answered. "I met with Director Shepherd yesterday and I've gone down to Autopsy and Forensics a couple of times. Apart from that when I've been here I've been at my desk."

"We can rule out those places unless your blood tests show infection or you and Dr. Mallard start showing symptoms. What about Agents David and DiNozzo? Is there any place in the building they might have visited while you were gone or since you came back that you haven't?"

There was a long silence before Gibbs said grimly, "MTAC."

"What?"

"The Multiple Threat Alert Centre upstairs. It's a restricted area where we video conference – among other things. While Special Agent McGee and I were on the carrier we video conferenced several times with both Agent DiNozzo and Agent David. Director Shepherd is in there regularly, both techs work there, and agents are quite often in there as well."

"What about Abby Sciuto, the lab tech?" Natalie asked.

"I didn't conference with her this time, but I have in the past. It's possible another team needed her," Gibbs answered.

"You say it's restricted," Stephen noted. "Is there a record of everyone who visited it over the last six days?" Gibbs nodded the affirmative. "We can compare those names with the ill personnel – also identify who else is at risk of getting sick."

"We're also going to need to get in there and find the exact source so we can eliminate it," Natalie added. "Will there be a problem with us having security access?"

"Under the circumstances, no, not as long as you have myself or another NCIS agent with you."

oooooooooooo

"There were four names on that list of people who accessed MTAC in the last five days and who we hadn't admitted," Eva reported. It was a few hours later and she'd joined Natalie, Gibbs, and Stephen inside one of the NIH labs. "Special Agent Christopher Kerrigan was out of town on assignment – started showing symptoms and is checking into a hospital. Special Agent Pauley Chow was admitted to Bethesda last night and she's already showing improvement. Computer tech Mark Kulikowski had the day off and was showing flu-like symptoms at his wife's birthday – he's on his way here. And Special Agent Martin Rudolphs who is out in the waiting room and showing no symptoms whatsoever."

Stephen frowned. "When was he in MTAC?"

"Six days ago," Eva replied.

"It's rare, but tularemia has been known to have an incubation of two weeks before," Natalie offered.

"Was he alone?" Gibbs asked quietly. Eva nodded.

"What is it, Agent Gibbs?" Stephen asked.

"MTAC was established as a command centre to prevent terrorism. It's highly secured and restricted access. The only way someone could get in and plant something is if it was someone internal."

"Unless the source is not MTAC," Stephen sighed.

"It's MTAC," Natalie said, looking up. "The spores were in the vents of the computer. Whenever they were running, they were spreading the infection."

"I think I'd better have a word with Special Agent Rudolphs," Gibbs said grimly.


	5. Life

oooooooooooooooo

Special Agent Martin Rudolphs was standing by a window when Gibbs approached him, staring out at the grounds. He looked up as Gibbs approached.

"Gibbs, I heard about DiNozzo – listen, I'm sorry."

A thousand thoughts went through Gibbs' mind. "Why?" he managed to say. "Why did you do it?"

Rudolphs met Gibbs' eyes. "Gibbs...don't."

"You've been here longer than anyone. Due to retire in a year. Why would you do something like this?"

There was a long silence before the other agent said, "Have you ever looked at how many lives we've ruined?"

Gibbs stared at him. "What?"

"NCIS. Have you ever stopped to see how many people whose lives we've taken or torn apart? Whole families. Military personnel. People who only wanted to serve their country." Rudolphs shook his head. "You know what I had to do last week? I had to arrest a 19-year-old Petty Officer. You know what his crime was?" The older agent's voice was bitter. "He'd found out about a lowlife who'd raped and murdered at least two kids and got off on a technicality, and blew his brains out so he'd never hurt a child again. He was doing his job. Protecting his country. And for that he's going to jail for the rest of his time."

Gibbs just shook his head. "Martin..."

"And the irony is that if he were an NCIS agent he could have done it no problem. We're legalized hit men, Agent Gibbs, the American equivalent of the KGB. We can just go out and shoot up a camp of terrorists and get away with it." The older agent shook his head in frustration. "NCIS never should have been formed in the first place. The best thing that could happen is for us to be disbanded."

Gibbs walked up so that he was looking the older agent directly in the eye. "Tell that to Tony's family."

ooooooooooooo

It was a couple of evenings later when Gibbs knocked on the door of Abby's hospital room. "Come in," she said quietly.

Gibbs opened the door a little ways and poked his head in. "If you're feeling up to a visitor, there's someone out here who wants to see you." He opened the door all the way and pushed in a wheelchair.

The chair's occupant was paler than usual and there was a good-sized band of gauze around his head, but there was no mistaking the weak smile. Tears came into Abby's eyes.

"McGee?" she whispered.

"Hi, Abby."

"He regained consciousness this morning and insisted on coming to visit," Gibbs explained.

"I told the doctors that they could let me go themselves for ten minutes, or that I could go behind their backs and stay as long as I chose." McGee's eyes sparkled. "They went for the ten minutes."

"I'll let you guys talk," Gibbs said quickly and exited the room. Natalie was waiting for him in the hall.

"Thanks for helping clear this with McGee's doctors," Gibbs said. "They both needed this."

Natalie nodded. "I was happy to do it," she said quietly. "How are she and Officer David doing?"

Gibbs bit his lip. He and Ducky had told Ziva and Abby about Tony that morning. "They're hanging in," he managed.

Natalie gave him an understanding smile. "If you need someone to talk to, I'm here," she said softly.

Gibbs hesitated before replying, "Thanks, Dr. Durant."

She gave him a slight grin. "After working together these last few days, don't you think it's time you switched to calling me Natalie?"

Gibbs tilted his head slightly as he considered the request, the gesture adorably boyish. "Okay, Natalie," he said after a minute. "Then I guess that makes it Jethro." Natalie chuckled softly. "I know," he said wryly.

"But it fits," she said smiling. In a soft voice she added, "It means kindly and wise."

Their eyes locked and neither of them knew what to say.

"I, uh, guess I'd better get back to work," Natalie said finally.

"Yeah, and I should probably get McGee back to his room before they send security."

"Do you want to have coffee later?" Natalie asked hesitantly.

"That sounds good," Gibbs replied.

Ducky approached Gibbs after Natalie had gone. "The worst of the illness has run its course," he said. "Everyone should start recovering soon."

"Yeah, Dr. Durant mentioned that earlier," Gibbs answered.

A playful smile tugged Ducky's lips. "Does it bother you?"

"What?"

"That Dr. Durant isn't a redhead." Gibbs just shook his head.

"Ducky..."

THE END


End file.
